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Sew in love: For 26 years, Chinese seamstress has kept traditional Malay costumes alive

For 26 years, this Chinese seamstress has kept traditional Malay costumes alive with her customised designs

Madam Lie Hong Haw founded Bewa Enterprise in Joo Chiat Complex in 1993 with her husband. The shop is known for ready-made and customised traditional Malay costumes such as baju kurung and baju Pahang.
Madam Lie Hong Haw founded Bewa Enterprise in Joo Chiat Complex in 1993 with her husband. The shop is known for ready-made and customised traditional Malay costumes such as baju kurung and baju Pahang. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
One of Madam Lie’s loyal customers is Madam Zaiton Kuning (seated), 63, whose daughter Siti Norbaya, 43, also frequents the shop with her daughters Nur Syarah Aliah (far left), 13, and Nur Batrisya Qailah, 11. They are wearing this year’s Hari Raya outfit
One of Madam Lie’s loyal customers is Madam Zaiton Kuning (seated), 63, whose daughter Siti Norbaya, 43, also frequents the shop with her daughters Nur Syarah Aliah (far left), 13, and Nur Batrisya Qailah, 11. They are wearing this year’s Hari Raya outfits, made at Madam Lie’s shop. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
An average day sees Madam Lie running up and down the stairs between her two shop units on the third floor of Joo Chiat Complex (above), and her office and workstation on the fourth floor.
An average day sees Madam Lie running up and down the stairs between her two shop units on the third floor of Joo Chiat Complex (above), and her office and workstation on the fourth floor. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
An average day sees Madam Lie running up and down the stairs between her two shop units on the third floor of Joo Chiat Complex (above), and her office and workstation on the fourth floor.
An average day sees Madam Lie running up and down the stairs between her two shop units on the third floor of Joo Chiat Complex (above), and her office and workstation on the fourth floor. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
Seamstress Chen Liping sewing the traditional leher ketumbar design, a series of tiny knots sewn at the edge of the baju kurung collar to prevent fraying.
Seamstress Chen Liping sewing the traditional leher ketumbar design, a series of tiny knots sewn at the edge of the baju kurung collar to prevent fraying. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
Madam Lie and her granddaughter Heidi Huang, five, who often visits the shop to watch her mother and granny at work.
Madam Lie and her granddaughter Heidi Huang, five, who often visits the shop to watch her mother and granny at work. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
A row of completed baju kurung at Madam Lie's shop await their wearers, just in time for Hari Raya on Wednesday.
A row of completed baju kurung at Madam Lie's shop await their wearers, just in time for Hari Raya on Wednesday. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
Melati, six, playing among the colourful row of clothing at Bewa Enterprise while her mother Diah Hastuti Pangestu Sagala, 46, browses.
Melati, six, playing among the colourful row of clothing at Bewa Enterprise while her mother Diah Hastuti Pangestu Sagala, 46, browses. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
Left: Melati, six, playing among the colourful row of clothing at Bewa Enterprise while her mother Diah Hastuti Pangestu Sagala, 46, browses.
Lie's daughter-in-law, Stacy Chua, 35, helping customers pick out fabric combinations at one of the company's shopfronts in Joo Chiat Complex.
Ms Chua uses a whiteboard to help Madam Lie keep track of the customised orders (above), while Madam Lie takes a customer's measurements. Orders for Hari Raya can come in as early as six months before the festival.
Stacy, Lie's daughter-in-law, marks down orders on a white board for her mother-in-law to follow. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
Ms Chua uses a whiteboard to help Madam Lie keep track of the customised orders, while Madam Lie takes a customer's measurements (above). Orders for Hari Raya can come in as early as six months before the festival.
Ms Chua uses a whiteboard to help Madam Lie keep track of the customised orders, while Madam Lie takes a customer's measurements (above). Orders for Hari Raya can come in as early as six months before the festival. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN
Ng Sor Luan Executive Photojournalist
Updated
Aug 16, 2019, 03:26 PM
Published
Jun 03, 2019, 05:00 AM
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Needles and thread were never far away when Madam Lie Hong Haw was growing up, so it was inevitable that sewing would become the guiding passion in her life.

As a child growing up in Medan in Indonesia, Madam Lie, 64, was often by the side of her eldest sister, a seamstress. Their parents had settled in Medan after leaving Fuzhou, China.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 03, 2019, with the headline Sew in love: For 26 years, Chinese seamstress has kept traditional Malay costumes alive. Subscribe

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